Sliding roof frame structure for motor vehicles



J. WERNER July 17, 1962 SLIDING ROOF FRAME STRUCTURE FOR MOTOR VEHICLESm m J N N 2 41 24! War-wet Filed April 6, 1960 rates many Filed Apr. 6,1960, Ser. No. 241,377- Claims priority, application Germany Apr. 27,1959 5 Claims. (Cl. 296-137) This invention relates in general toautomobile car top constructions and in particular to a new and usefulcar top construction including a rigid sliding panel and having adraining system including drains spaced on either side along the lengthof the car top.

Generally, in automobile car top constructions it is known to employ arigid roof frame for supporting a sliding panel, which also includesmeans for collecting and draining water from the panel. The roof frameis provided with guide rails for the sliding panel; the rails areprovided with water channels which run the full length of theautomobile. In the known devices, drainage of water is effected throughpipes which are arranged at each end of the water channels. Normally,these water collecting troughs, or channels extend over the entirelength of the rooftop and this length is usually about twice the lengthof the sliding panel.

In such constructions, the slope of the car top and the correspondingslope of the roof frame has been used for effecting complete drainage ofthe roof in directions extending either to the front or to the rear, fordrainage through pipes at these locations. In the present day carconstructions, it is desirable to make tops as flat as possible in orderto provide as much headroom within the car as is feasible. With suchflat roof constructions the water does not have any tendency to drain toeither one end of the car or to the other because the roof frame formingthe water channels has to be adapted to the fiat form of the car top. Itis thus difiicult to adequately drain the water collected in the waterchannels of the roof frame. Furthermore it is not usually feasible toprovide for a greater height of the water channels in order to increasethe slope to the front or the rear for drainage purposes, nor to enlargethe cross-section of the channels for the collecting of substantialquantities of water.

In accordance with the present invention, the aforementioneddisadvantages are overcome by providing a plurality of drainage pipeslocated at strategic locations along the length of the drainagechannels. The pipes are located so that maximum drainage is efiectedfrom the roof by providing more than a single path for the water todrain from the roof. By dividing the roof into at least two separatedrainage paths from front to rear, it is possible to make the drainagepaths much shorter and to provide them with sufficient slope even thoughthe entire top construction is substantially flat, so that the drainageof the water will be positive in all cases.

Another important advantage of the present invention is that thedrainage pipes are arranged in accordance with the amount of water whichis normally present ateach location in a rooftop construction.Investigations have shown that there is very little drainage required inthe drainage channel which is attached to the front cross frame. With aroof construction having a sliding panel, when the panel is closed, itis pressed into the frame cross roof structure. However, to make thepanel easily maneuverable, it is desirable to have the lateral fit ofthe panel with the roof structure not too close so that an increase inwater admission has to be counted on in these areas. It has beenobserved further that there are grooves in the zones of the edges of thecutout top where the panel fits into the roof and in these grooves aconsiderable amount of water will collect which will run off to bothsides to cause the largest amount of accumulation of water at theselocations. The present invention provides the possibility of adjustmentof the drainage pipes to these particular conditions and therefore toshorten the path of discharge of the water in the channel drainagerecesses. 4

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a front waterdrainage pipe is disposed along each side so as to be spaced byone-quarter the total length of the collecting channel from the frontedge. The rear drainage pipe is advantageously disposed at about thespot where the water carrying channel of the sliding roof panel emptiesinto the water collecting channel at the sides. The channels aredesigned so that the water is always di rected downwardly into the drainat a large sloping angle. The inner upper edge of the water collectingchannel, which is supporting the guide rail for the sliding panel, ispreferably shaped so that it is flush with the upper edge of the guiderail profile. In this manner, the water channel profile will havethegreatest possible height for free downward water flow without havingto give up any of the free height available within the car. Theattachment of the guide rail for the sliding panel may be made at theinner portion of a supporting ledge formed by the wall of each watercollecting channel.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improveddrainage system for a roof construction having a sliding panel.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved roofdrainage construction.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved roofdrainage construction which is simple in design, rugged in construction,and economical to manufacture.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention arepointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming apart of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention,its operating advantages and specific objects obtained by its use,reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptivematter in which there is illustrated and described a preferredembodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a somewhat schematic top plan view of the left hand portion ofa sliding roof frame structure (when viewed from the front of thevehicle) according to the present invention supporting a sliding panelon guide rails fixed to the frame structure the fixed roof portionhaving been removed from the roof frame structure;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section of the sliding panel taken along theline II-II of FIG. 1 showing also part of the fixed roof portion;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section of the roof frame structure shown inFIG. 1 but without the sliding panel, and taken along the line III-IIIas indicated in FIG. 1; and

FIGS. 4 to 8 are fragmentary vertical sections taken on the lines IV-IV,V-V, VIVI, VIL-VII and VIII- VIII, respectively, of FIG. 3.

Referring to the drawings in particular, the invention as embodiedtherein includes a roof frame structure generally designated A whichincludes a fixed roof portion generally designed C which, however, doesnot form an integral part of the present invention. The frame structurealso includes a water channel 1 along the front portion of the vehicleand side water channels 2 for collecting water which drains from thecenter of the roof structure, and a sliding panel portion generallydesignated B. The front channel 1 connects to the side channels 2 anddrainage pipes 3 are located at their junctures on both sides at theforward end of the vehicle. Drainage pipes 4 are located at the rear endof the vehicle. For the sake of clarity, the fixed roof portion C hasbeen removed from the frame structure as shown in FIG. 1.

A supporting ledge for a substantially E-shaped guide rail generallydesignated 14 is formed by the inner upper rim portion of each sidedrainage channel 2. The guide rail has an outwardly extending bearingflange portion 15 fitted in a recessed portion of the supporting ledgeand thus flush wih the residual rim portion shown in FIGS. 4-8. Thesliding connection between the guide rail 14 and the sliding panel B isindicated in dotted lines in FIG. 4 which also shows a portion of thefixed roof part C. The panel B includes a forked guide arm member 16which extends around and is in sliding engagement with an upperoutstanding portion 17 of the guide rail 14. The guide arm member 16 isfastened to a bracket 18' which is secured to the sliding panel portionB. The panel portion B may be moved between open and closed positions bysliding the forked guide arm member back and forth along the guide rail14.

It will be observed that the elevation or height of the inner wall ofthe drainage channels 2 is increased in height by limiting the spacingbetween side walls 19 and 20 which define the channels.

According to the invention, in addition to the drainage pipes 3 and 4,there are provided drainage pipes 5 and 6. In order to permitadvantageous use of these drainage pipes each channel 2 is closed off atthe location 7 and bottom wall 21 of the channel is sloped outwardly anddownwardly in several places to effect drainage from the closed offportion to the drain pipe 6 in the forward direction, and from theclosed off portion to the drain pipe 4 in the rearward direction.Drainage pipes 5 and 6 are so disposed that the front pipe 5 is spacedfrom the front end by an amount equal to about a quarter of the lengthof the sliding panel B, whereas the rear pipe 6 is placed at about thespot where the rear edge G of the sliding panel B will be located whenin a closed position.

The panel B includes a conventional channel-shaped portion E terminatingin an upstanding edge H so that the drain pipe 6 is in the area of thechannel portion E of the panel B when the panel is in a closed positionwith the rear edge G adjacent the front end of the fixed roof portion C,as shown in FIG. 2.

Drain pipe 5 is capable of collecting the water which will be receivedin the front part of the panel by the channel 2, whereas the reardrainage pipe 6 picks up the water which collects in the rear portion ofthe sliding panel and enters the channel 2 from the channel portion Edefined between the portions G and H. By such an arrangement the path offlow of the water which is to be drained will be very short and abouthalf the usual length which might be expected. By such a construction,therefore, it is not necessary to slope the bottom portions of channel 2as much as where the drainage must be along the complete length. Sincethe number of drain pipes is increased the flow rate of water drainagewill also be increased and, hence, the risk of the water channelsflowing over is avoided.

In FIG. 3 there is indicated the water channel 2 and the flow conditionsprevailing therein. The dotted lines 8 and 9 show the maximum waterlevel which would be reached at the highest point 10. The front end 11and the rear 12 of the channel 2 are likewise points of highest waterlevel because there is no exit opening at 12 and exit opening of pipe 3is at a higher level than that of pipes 5 and 6. From the points 10, 11and 12, the water level drops to the exit opening for pipes 5 and 6.

The sections IV-IV to VIII-VIII of FIG. 3, which are shown in FIGS. 4 to8, show the cross section of channel 2 but at different points along thelength of the roof. The bottom wall 21 of the channel 2 is bentdownwardly and outwardly in a manner to provide an increasing outwardslope for the water in the vicinity of the drain openings as indicatedin FIGS. 4 to 8. By such a construction it is possible to achieve agreater drop in height, such as indicated at 13, even when for reasonsof construction it is necessary to arrange the water collecting channel2 substantially horizontally.

The stepped portion E between G and H of the panel B underlying thefixed roof portion C under certain circumstances carries a large amountof water. The drainage pipe 6 is thus arranged to branch ofi at aboutthis point from the water channel 2 in order to cover any largequantities of water which will be discharged from the channel-shapedportion E.

In the embodiment shown in the drawings, only two additional drain pipes5 and 6 have been provided on each side of the vehicle but it should beappreciated that additional drainage pipes branching off from the watercollecting channel 2 may be provided. In this manner, the length of thepath of drainage is further shortened so that the conditions of drainageare further improved. However, each drainage pipe involves an additionalexpense, and if possible, an attempt should therefore be made to use thearrangement with only two additional drainage pipes to best advantage.In some instances it may be desirable to dispense with the drainagepipes 3 and 4 which are located in the conventional front and rearpositions along the channels 2.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed in detail to illustrate the application of the inventionprinciples, it will be understood that the invention may be embodiedotherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle roof frame construction comprising wall means on each sideof said frame defining longitudinally extending side drainage channelsand guide rail portions protruding inwardly from each of said sidedrainage channels, said wall means comprising a substantially horizontalledge portion and a longitudinally extending guide rail member includingan outstanding flange portion disposed tlush with the upper wall of saidguide rail portions on said ledge portion, a longitudinally reciprocableroof panel slidable in said guide rail portions, a portion of said wallmeans defining a cross channel at the front of said frame connectingsaid side drainage channels, and a plurality of drainage pipes connectedto said side drainage channels at spaced locations along the lengththereof.

2. A vehicle roof frame construction according to claim 1, wherein saidside drainage channels are defined on their inner sides by substantiallyvertical walls and said ledlgle portion is arranged below the top edgeof said we s.

3. A vehicle roof frame construction comprising gutter means on eachside of said frame including a substantially vertical outer wall portionand a substantially parallel inner wall portion defining therebetween alongitudinal channel of substantially rectangular cross section, each ofsaid inner wall portions having secured thereto an inwardly protruding,substantially horizontal guide rail portion below the upper edge of saidouter wall portion, and a longitudinally reciprocable roof panelslidable in said guide rail portions between an open and a closedposition, the bottom walls of said channels being formed with at leasttwo depressions in the region of said closed position of the roof panel,said depressions having 1ongitudinal cross sections defining downwardlydirected obtuse angles, and drainage means connected to said channelssubstantially at the nadir of said angles.

4. A vehicle roof frame construction according to claim 3, wherein saidbottom walls of the channels are formed with slopes transverselyincreasing towards said drainage means of said depressions so thatportions of said channel have a trapezoidal cross section.

5. A vehicle roof construction according to claim 3, wherein parts ofsaid gutter means define at the front of said frame a cross channelconnected to said drainage channels, and further including additionaldrainage means at the junction points of said cross channel with saidfirst-named channels and at the rear ends of said channels.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS803,316 Vogel e Oct. 31, 1905 2,410,332 1 Ball Oct. 29, 1946 FOREIGNPATENTS 477,731 Great Britain Jan. 5, 1938 727,167 Great Britain Mar.30, 195 5

